This invention relates to improvements in a driven work folder of the type disclosed in my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 611,240, filed May 17, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,907. More particularly, this invention comprehends means facilitating unerring reception of fabric ply edges into the work folder and means for clamping a fabric edge within the folder and for maintaining the fabric edge positively locked into the device during the driven fabric folding operation to prevent retraction of the fabric edge and consequent incomplete folding of the fabric.
It is an object of this invention to provide in a driven work folder a driven fabric clamping device which may be actuated prior to and maintained effective during operation of the work folder positively to prevent slippage of a fabric ply edge from within the driven folder thus to insure complete fabric folding operation.
It is also an object of this invention to facilitate successful robotic manipulation of a fabric ply edge into the fabric folding guide by providing means for shifting the entire driven portion of a fabric folding guide laterally within the constraining sheath to close the space between the mouths of the driven portion and the constraining sheath prior to fabric introduction thus to eliminate unacceptable paths into which a fabric ply edge might otherwise be introduced.